How much Universal Credit (UC) will I get?

The amount awarded will depend on the income and circumstances of all the household members. To get an estimate of what you may be entitled to when you claim Universal Credit you can use the Turn2us Benefits Calculator.

In working out your Universal Credit award, firstly your household’s maximum Universal Credit award is calculated. This will be made up of one basic allowance and any additional elements that apply.

Universal Credit Basic Allowance

Your basic allowance will depend on whether you are single or claiming as a couple, and your age. There is one basic allowance for your household:

Single claimant aged under 25: £251.77 per month

Single claimant aged 25 or over: £317.82 per month

Joint claimants both aged under 25: £395.20 per month

Joint claimants either aged 25 or over: £498.89 per month

Universal Credit additional elements

There are additional elements that can be added to your basic allowance. Your household may qualify for more than one of these:

Child element

Childcare costs element

Limited capability for work element

Carer element

Housing costs element

The same person cannot get a Limited capability for work element as well as a Carer element even if they are eligible for both.

Universal Credit award

If your household has no earnings, other income, capital or savings the Universal Credit award you receive will be your maximum Universal Credit award (one basic allowance plus any additional elements) unless you are affected by the Benefit Cap which limits a household's total income from certain benefits to:

£1,916.67 per month for a couple or a lone parent in Greater London; or

£1,666.67 per month for a couple or a lone parent outside Greater London; or

£1,284.17 per month for a single person with no children in Greater London; or

£1,116.67 per month for a single person with no children outside Greater London

If anyone in your household has earnings, other income, savings or capital these will need to be taken into account to work out the Universal Credit award you may receive.

What if my Universal Credit entitlement is less than my current entitlement?

If you are part of the Managed Migration on to Universal Credit you will not be worse off when you move over to Universal Credit. If the amount of Universal Credit you are entitled to is less than you are currently getting from the benefits that are being replaced by it, you will receive a 'transitional protection amount' to top up your Universal Credit to the same amount.

If you are part of the Natural Migration on to Universal Credit due to a change in your circumstances you will not receive a transitional amount and your Universal Credit may be lower than you currently get from the benefits it is replacing.